Interview Tips – some important do’s and dont’s

Here are a few interview tips – while nothing is certain these will make sure you don’t blow your chances at an interview before you walk in the door.

1) Make a real effort with your appearance – you are an ambassador for yourself and possibly the company. If you can’t represent yourself as smart and professional, then what chance you can do that for your future employer? If you are shaking someone’s hand, clean nails would be a good start.

2) Research is a must – I’ve been in that horrible situation of going into an interview and coming out knowing I should have done more. Does the company have a website? Go check it out. Have they sent you a job description? Read it, digest it and prove that you have the skills they want.

3) Make sure you know what you want to say – some questions come up again and again no matter what the job is. Don’t have an answer that you parrot out, but think about what the key points you want to get across are. It might well be worth writing down some bullet points on cards and memorizing them. You can take them to the interview and run through them when you arrive early.

4) Use solid examples – anyone can say they are good at something. Only you can prove it. Like any proof, it requires evidence. Even if you are still in a job, its worth keeping a stock list of examples of your success so if the job you really want comes up you can point to them without having to think too hard.

5) Remember interviewers are human too – interviews can be nerve wracking. However, remember there is pressure on your interviewer(s) as well, to find the right person. They may be new to the task. If you are feeling tense, remember that they are not all seeing, all knowing gods!

There is more than this to getting your dream job, but remembering these five things will do you no harm!

If you need more help on how to answer job interview questions there are some brilliant techniques here. If you need more advice on preparing for a job interview this guide has plenty of in-depth hints and tips.